Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Rob Potter received a referral from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services which had been alerted by the school, according to an affidavit filed by police in Rockland District Court.

The officer interviewed the child, who had a red mark on her neck. The girl said her mother and father had been arguing and the mother came in to her room, picked her up by the waist and then started choking her. The child said she was scared by her mother’s actions.

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The girl had told the same version of events to the Vinalhaven School’s guidance counselor, according to the affidavit.

The deputy then went to the woman’s home and was told at first by the suspect’s mother that the woman was not home but when the mother was warned that she could be charged for hindering apprehension, Leach came forward and met with the officer who immediately arrested her.

Leach was taken to the Knox County Jail. She made her initial court appearance Friday afternoon and bail was set at $1,000 cash.